Flexible coupling



G. L. TARBOX.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING. APPLIQA'HON mio 1A.N.e.1921.`

.Patented Aug. l5, 1922.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

l Y y Y y Snowdon G4 L. TARBOX.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. S, IBZI. lgl@ Patented Aug. 15, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Leaders.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, GUnn'oN L. Trianon, a citizen of the UnitedI States,residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union, State of New Jersey,have invented certain ,new and useful improvements in FlexibleCouplings, of which the ollowing is a disclosure` l My invention relatesto iexible couplings, such as are employed to connect the rotatablepower shafts of all kinds and particularly to couplings for connectingthe power shafts of automobiles and has for its object the provision ofa coupling which will prevent or minimize the Vtransmission ci noisesand vibrations originating in one shaft or a part to the other. Afurther object is to provide a coupling which will yield in thedirection of rotation which will be strong and durable and,comparatively small in size.

ln the drawing accompanying and 'torming part of this specilication, lhave illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention. Figure l is alongitudinal section of the coupling, and Figure 2 is a transversesection taken on the line 2--2 ci Figure l.

Figures 3 and Il: are longitudinal sectional views of two additionalior'ms of coupling according to my invention. A Referring in detail tothe structure illustrated, the reference numerals l designate the `twoshafts to be connected. Mounted on' and keyed to one ofrthese shafts,there is a hub 2 provided with radial arms or projections 3. Mounted onthe other shaft, there is a hub el carrying projections 5 alternatingwith and disposed between theprojections 3. it is essential in'constructing my device that there be two sets ci arms or projectionsand that one set shall be fixed to one shaftl element and the other tothe other shaft and that they shellA alternate with each other but theymay be constructed and arranged in many different ways. Y ln the.

structure shown the projections 3 are formed integral with the hub SZand the whole structure is ireyed to the shaft by a lrey 6.

The projections 5 'arebolted tothe flange l formed on the hub elementthy bolts 10 which also *function tovhold the housing 11 in position.The two' sets `or projections have bowl shaped cavitiesl 8 formed ontheir opposite faces and are separated by balls 9 ,of resilient rubber.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Pgatmtcaihug. 5, i922. 'Application ledJanuar-ye 3, 1921. erial No. 435,919.

n These ballsare preferably so inserted as to be normally under somecompression. The bowl shaped cavities `8 are larger than the-balls so asto permit the balls to roll freely in the cavities when, the coupling isin use. This rolling feature coupled with the resiliency of the ballsgives the coupling' flexibility and resiliency with minimum iriction.

It will be observed that in my improved coupling, the two halves oi thedevice are connected entirely by means of the rubber balls. These ballsnot only permit the coupling to yield in the direction of rotation -andprevent vibrations being transmitted` from one element to the other, butthey yield so as to allow the shafts to run out of line and so as topermithone shaft to move endwise to a certain extent with respect to the.other thereby permitting the coupling to function as a slip joint. Thisrenders the inclusion of a slip joint unnecessary in most arrangements.

in the apparatus illustrated in Figure 3, the resilient members l2between the opposing sets 3 and 5 of' projections have the form ofcylinders, the cavities 13 and i4 in the projections 3 and 5, being alsocylindrical lin form,y but of greater radius than that of the members l.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figure 4,

the resilient members 15 have the form of` truncated cones, the cavities16 and i7 in the projections 3 and 5 being correspondingly shaped,but'of greater radius than the members 15.

The modifications illustrated in Figures .3 and 4 are designed for usemore particularly in connection with ipstallations where the angles tobe taken care of is comparatively slight, but a high load carryingcapacity is desired.

nWhile 'l have described only the preferred embodiment of my invention,l am aware that modifications may be made by those skilled in the artand l desire protection for all such modifications as may come withinthe scope of my claims.

What l claim is: l. A flexible shaft coupling comprising two hubmembers, a series of projections fixed to each hub member, theprojections on one member alternating with and disposed between those onthe othermember, bowl l of t e projections and rubber balls disposed shaed cavities formed on the adjacent fac-es of t e projections and rubberballs disposed f* in said cavities and operating to `flexibly connectthe two parts ot' the coupling'.

2. 'A flexible shaft coupling comprising Vtwo hub members, a series ofprojections fixed to each hub member, the projections on one memberalternating with and disposed between those on the other member, bowlsha `ed cavities formed on the adjacent faces in said cavities normallyheld under compression and operating to exibly connect the two parts otthe coupling.`

3. A flexible shaft couplingcomprising two hub members, a series ofprojections fixed to each hub member, the projections onone| memberalternating with and disposed between those on theother member, bowlshaped cavities formed on the-adjacent faces of the projections, rubberballs disosed in said cavities and operating to fiexibly connect the twoparte of the coupling, the cavities bein larger` than the balls soas topermit the bals to roll under service conditions. I

4. A liexible shaft coupling comprising.

two hub members, a series of projections 1fixed to each hub member, theproj actions on one member alternating with and disposed onthe othermember, bowll between those shaped cavities formed on the adjacent facesof the projections, rubber balls disposed-in to flexibly connect the twoparts of t e coupling, the

p cavities being larger than the balls so asv to permit the' balls toroll under service conditions and the two halvesof the coupling beingfree to move towards and awa;

' cavities.

mancia 4 from each other except as restrained by the alls.

5. A. iiexible shaft coupling comprising` two -hub members, a series of:projections xed to each hub member, the projections on one memberalternating with and disposed between those on the other member, bowlshaped cavities formed on the adjacent faces of the projections, rubberballs disposed in said cavities normally held under compression andoperating to flexibly connect the two parts of the coupling, thecavities having a greater radius or" curvature than the ,balls so as topermit the balls to roll under service conditions and the two halves ofthe coupling being free to move except as re strained by the balls.

6. Aliexible couplin comprisin and driven members aving bong shapedcavities therein, and resilient balls intermediate said members and`acting under compression, said balls being seated in said driving titicavities and having a less diameterthan that of said cavities.

7. A flexible coupling comprisingdriving and driven members, saidmembers overlapping inn both the radial and axial directions withrespect to their axes of rotation,

the overlapping portions of said members having cavities therein, theradial surfaces of saidv cav1t1esbeing curved in the axial direction,and resilient rollers intermediate said members and actlng undercompression,

said rollers being-seated in said cavities and having a less diameterthan that of said .GURU-ON L. raaeox`

